Iron Hill FE10 (Anniversary Ale)

Brewed by Iron Hill Newark
Style: Abt/Quadrupel
Newark, Delaware USA

750ml bottle, brewed at Iron Hill North Wales. This is probably the most under-rated beer on this site from my experience. Pours a deep brown with some reddish edges, and a creamy beige head. Very rich, pleasant aroma of rum-soaked cake, dates, toffee, overripe bananas, and other very nice things. Hugely expressive flavor, just amazingly good. Rum sugars, figs, dates, vanilla, overripe bananas, wisps of dark berries, orange tea cake. This blows away so many of the best Belgian strong dark or quadruples. The only beer of this style which is really comparable to this is Westy 12, in its amazing craftsmanship and elegance. It’s thick an rich on the palate, not too boozy, just an incredible effort from what is becoming one of my favorite breweries.

Bottle shared by iowaherkeye. Poured a clear ruddy brown color with an off white head. Molasses and toffee dominated the nose, but there was also a whiff of clove. Cloyingly sweet and a bit sticky with a splash of alcohol. I tasted toffee, date, molasses and hay. So so.

Bottle enjoyed at the Wilmington location. Dark brown pour, nice beige head. Huge aroma of fruit and alcohol. The flavor...this could have passed for an authentic Belgian....very reminiscent of Chimay Blue, which isn’t a bad thing. Lots of dark fruit, mild spice. Rich and sweet, but not cloying in the least. Nice beer.

750ml bottle, thanks to Swolf3. Poured very dark, murky brown, very little head. Smells fantastic. Almost like a barleywine, very rich and flavorful. Very good beer. Thanks Steven.

Taste courtesy SoLan. Pours a muddy brown with a thin tan head. Malty caramel sweet and candy sugar aroma. Sweet malty taste, lots of candy sugar, with citrusy hops and just a hint of apple. Very good big beer, yet dangerously drinkable.

Courtesy kramer. The pour yields a dark and hazy caramel brown body with ruby red highlights. A quick, foamy, tan colored head leaves minimal, spotty lacing behind. The aroma shows caramelized sugar, nougat, spiced figs, and hints of orange peel. Organic, earthy notes do well to cut the sweetness of the candy sugar. Likewise, flavors are well balanced between sweet, earthy, and fruity. Brown sugar and nougat again show strong, with hints of chocolate and various dark, caramelized fruits. Smooth and creamy, almost velvety on the palate. The alcohol is very well hidden, making this huge brew dangerously drinkable. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I’d bet that this bottle was the beneficiary of some careful aging.

Aged straight from an Iron Hill bottled reserve, served in a Trappist glass. The plum pour is topped with a nice 3-finger light tan head that reduces to a nice cap, leaving spotty lace. Banana, raisins, currants, Candi sugar, slight Bazooka gum and sweet malts to the nose. Lots of Candi sugar and banana come through the palate first, followed by caramel malts, brown sugar with muddy chocolate hints, and dark, aged, pitted fruits. The yeast plays wonderfully in the finish, bringing on green banana notes, with a return to aerated Candi sugar. The ABV is perfectly integrated, with minimal peppering of the side- and back-palates, and some overall warmth after the finish. Carbo levels are semi-soft and contrast the light syrup mouthfeel to make for a smooth, soft palate. A very nice brew, and complexities are held in check wonderfully.

Bottle from axilla. Pours dark copper with a fast fading head and a small ring of lace. Nose is bubblegum, banana, plums, sugary malts, and alcohol. Flavor has more banana, dark fruits, roasted malt, candied malts, and alcohol. Warm, slightly hot finish as is commercially described.